Artificial leg



UNITD STATES PATENT OFFIOE.

DOUGLAS BLY, OF ROCHESTER, NE-VV YORK.

ARTIFICIAL LEG.

Specification of Letters Patent No. 23,656, dated April 19, 1859.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, DOUGLAS BLK, of the city of Rochester, in the county of Monroe and the State of New York, have invented a new and Improved Method of Communicating Motion to Artificial Legs, of which the following is a full and accurate description, reference being had to the accompany ing drawings, making a part of the specifications, and the letters ot reference marked thereon, same letters referring to like parts in all the igures.

Ot' said drawings, Figure l is a perspective view ot' the apparatus, which I employ. Fig. Q is a representation ot' the apparatus an Sita on the person of the wearer.

In all cases where amputation has taken place above the knee, especially when near the hip, great difliculty has always been eX- perienced in bringing the artificial leg forward when walking. The required effort is so great that the wearer soon becomes fatigued. New, I obviate this difficulty and give the wearer increased power and control over the artificial limb by the following means. I take a piece of webbing of suitable width and place the center against the patients chest, carry the two ends back under the arms, across over the opposite shoulders, down to the starting point, where the three thicknesses are fastened together; then one end is carried down a little farther, where it enters the buckle attached to the upper end of the piece (O), which is made of liighly elastic webbing, and is attached to the thigh (T) about midway between the hip and knee joints. The action of the elastic piece (O) is diminished by attaching it nearer the hip, and increased by attaching it nearer the knee, and may thus be varied to suit all cases.

Instead of the webbing running around and over the shoulders, a close fitting Vest or under-garment, may be used, for the purpose of attaching the elastic webbing (O) to the shoulders, but it is not as cool and co1ntortable, as the means previously described.

By referring to the drawings it will be seen, that the distance between the attachment ot' the elastic piece (O) to the leg, and the shoulders, is the greatest when the leg is carried far backward; consequently when the body, in walking, is thrown forward'on to the other foot, the elastic webbing (O) is put upon the stretch, so that it carries the leg forward, to make the next step, as soon as the foot is raised from the ground, and thereby enables the wearer to walk with much less fatigue. Furthermore, if the wearer wishes to raise the artificial limb, to step over any obstacle, this enables him to do so, with ease and facility by throwing the shoulders slightly backward. By thus increasing the power and control over the artificial leg, it is made much more useful.

I am aware that straps from the shoulders have been used, both elastic and otherwise, :for the purpose of retaining the artificial limb in its place, and this I do not claim; but

)Vhat I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters-Patent, is

The use of an elastic strap or apparatus from the shoulders or upper part of the body, when attached to the artificial leg in such a manner, that its contractile power, is exerted in connection with the backward mot-ion of the shoulders, to produce the forward motion of the foot; substantially as as herein set forth.

DOUGLAS BLY.

lVitnesses t J. FRASER, S. J. ALLIS. 

